Connecting automotive audio amplifiers to automotive car audio speakers presents various configuration options. For example, multiple speakers may be hooked up to a single amplifier. One popular configuration of amplifiers and speakers, known as a “bi-amplifier” configuration, uses one amplifier for the woofer and another amplifier for the mid-range speaker and the tweeter. Alternatively, those same two speakers may be connected in series to one amplifier, or the two speakers may be connected to one amplifier in parallel. Different configurations require different wiring at installation. Each particular configuration has required a terminal block designed for making the particular respective connections, thereby requiring that a variety of terminal blocks be manufactured and kept in stock. This results in unwanted expense in maintaining a varied stock of terminal blocks.
Modern automotive sound systems may include large installations (i.e., woofers weighing over 300 pounds) in an environment in which space is a problem. Accordingly, the size of a terminal block is a factor in design. With a varied stock of terminal blocks, some blocks may fit in particular installations, and others, though needed, may not.
During installation, conventional terminal blocks may be inadvertently mis-wired because each input and each output may not be clearly indicated. The result of mis-wiring may be poor audio performance or damage to the audio system.
Hence, there is a need for a single terminal block that can be easily reconfigured to meet various audio wiring requirements. The adjustable terminal block preferably combines small size, ease of operation, economy of manufacture, and utility in multiple amplifier-to-speaker configurations. The present invention addresses these needs.